open for business: my new etsy shop!

I'm so excited, I finally have my new Etsy shop up and running, stocked to the brims with matted and framed prints of my new illustrations!

I start by hand-drawing the illustrations in pen and ink. After I scan them, the real fun begins: digitally adding color, textures, and shapes! I love playing with scale and transparency, drawing some of the background illustrations (like the bee in "Taste of Summer" below) really large, only to reduce them once scanned. That makes the illustration more realistic-looking which is a nice contrast to the more loose style of the main drawings.

I purchased a new fancy-shmancy printer that uses archival inks that are guaranteed to last over 100 years! Yeah, none of us will be around by then so I guess that's an easy sales pitch to make... Regardless, the print quality is amazing and I use acid-free, fine artisan papers and conservation-quality rag mats so the prints should definitely last a life-time!

Look for new designs to be added in the new year! Check it out here: alexwijnen.etsy.com!

illustrator – cristian turdera

The Oregon Humane Society Telethon yesterday was a huge success: over $261,000 raised, yeah! A big thank you to everyone who called in and donated! OHS has been one of my favorite non-profits for quite a while and it's great to see so much support for the great work they do!

Every quarter as I design the next issue of their magazine, I always am so touched reading the stories and seeing the photos. This past issue had a nice bonus: a new ad campaign was launched! If you live in the Portland area, you've probably seen the billboards all around town, you may even have seen banner ads pop up as you browse the web.

And I must say, Leopold Ketel did a fantastic job, as usual! Austin Hilde at LK was the art director and Cristian Turdera the illustrator. Turdera lives and works in Buenos Aires, Argentina and has an extensive portfolio of work. Here are just a few samples that caught my eye as I browsed his website:


If you click here, you can see the new TV ad, also illustrated by Turdera. Can't wait to see what's next!

2010 calendar roundup

I should be working but instead I find myself staring at my brand new 2010 calendar from SusyJack* that I picked up last week at Ecru.

For the last two years, I've designed my own desk calendar for Cecily Ink but since I've closed it down, I was able to shop around for a new favorite calendar. The choice was tough – just take a look at this small sampling of favorites:

INK + WIT:
I love the whimsical illustration and sparing use of color. Also a vertical format, which I seem to be drawn to this year. The calendar should be making its debut in their shop today – click here to find out more.


MERRY BLUES ART:
I love the upcycled use of an old wooden clothes hanger, not to mention the awesome illustration style! So loose and expressive... You can find out more here.


MISSING Q PRESS:
I sure do love letterpress... and this calendar from Missing Q Press is right up my alley, with gorgeous colors, exquisite letterpress and fun illustrations. Check out the shop here.


SEESAW LETTERPRESS:
Another wonderful letterpress option, this one much larger and a gorgeous option for a wall calendar. Love the modern color palette mixed with retro design flair. Check it out here.


VAN HOOSE DESIGN:
This one I could stare at all day for color inspiration: a huge, poster-sized calendar with fun color dots for each day of the year. Reminds me of color charts at digital print shops. Melissa has several designs to choose from and you can see them all here.


SUSYJACK*:
Last but not least, here is the online shop for SusyJack*. She also has a great desktop version of this calendar. Can't wait to start using mine!

2010 calendar sneak peek

Every year, I create a special holiday gift for my Defteling Design clients. It's my way of thanking them for their business and giving something back that hopefully will make them smile in appreciation.

You may remember last year's gift (it's actually been selected to appear in the upcoming release of The Big Book of Green Design, yippie!):


I usually start thinking up ideas in June and this year has been no exception. For months now I've been noodling ideas and I'm so excited with how it's taking shape! Here's a sneak peek of some illustrations I've been working on:

For all you calendar fans, check back in the next few weeks – I haven't decided yet, but I might create a limited-edition CD calendar using these illustrations. If so, you'll be able to purchase them via my Cecily Ink Etsy shop.

illustrator – david hughes

I recently came across British illustrator David Hughes' website and loved it! His gestural style is so expressive and modern while the subdued color choices and small numerical details remind me of old scientific illustrations.

His editorial work has appeared in magazines like Esquire, The New Yorker, GQ, and Outside Magazine. The design of his website itself is fun to look through, too, with lots of doodles, notebook pages, and other ephemera mixed in.

illustrator – daren newman

I recently came across some of Daren Newman's work and thought I'd share it. I love his illustration style and he's a whiz when it comes to typography!

illustrator – johanna wright

Another great artist who'll be at this weekend's Crafty Wonderland (see my previous post) is Johanna Wright. I love her whimsical illustration style and how she uses an almost monochromatic color palette that still conveys lots of color and texture.


You can see more of Johanna's exquisite work at her website and her Etsy store – and, of course, this Sunday from 11 am till 4 pm during Crafty Wonderland.

Illustrator – Michelle Caplan

I came across Michelle Caplan's work this morning and absolutely fell in love! Her style of combining vintage photographs and ephemera results in some stunning collages.


Just look at this gorgeous piece - set in this dining room, it's the ultimate in retro chic!


My mom has a box of old family photos that I look through every time I visit them (which isn't nearly often enough!). It's inspiring to see Michelle's creative take on these vintage images – how fun would it be to put together a family tree this way!


Or decorate a baby's room... how cute!


To see more of Michelle's amazing work, visit her website or shop her Etsy shop.